The SMART Way To Make an Offer Lower Than The List Price

Every real estate transaction is a dance between buyers and sellers that can go on for months. Both parties want to be profitable from the transaction; and to achieve this, they may have to go through several bouts of negotiations.

However, not everyone is a master negotiator. So to help buyers get the most bang for their buck, we've devised this list of elements that provide a smart way for buyers to make an offer lower than the list price.

Know the stats
You need to do your research here. You can't just offer a lower price for a property and expect the seller to jump without a second guess. You need to work with your Realtor to get specific stats like what the fair market value would be for the property you're interested in. Ways they would get this information would be by evaluating the list price of that specific home versus those of similar homes. Your Realtor would also compare the list price versus the selling price of the home as well as the number of days the home has been on the market.

Follow a set communication process
Its always better to convey any communication to the seller in writing via your Realtor. When presenting your offer, your Realtor will draft the letter, including some statistics mentioned above, and present it to the seller for consideration. If you wish to further explain your lowered offer to the seller or tell them about your feelings about their home, you may write a personal letter to them which is often times a nice touch. Personal letters may also touch the emotions of the seller and make them more inclined to take a lower offer on the home.

The seller must be motivated to sell
This is the main reason any seller will accept a lower offer on their property. A seller may be motivated to sell if they have already closed the deal on a new home and are scheduled to move soon. There are many other reason for seller motivation. Any reason it is, you need to do your research to ensure that the seller will even be inclined to budge given a lower offer before presenting one to them.

Make your lower offer attractive
If the seller doesn't seem to have a clear cut motivation to sell quickly, you may need to entice them to accept your lower offer with some offers from you. You'll need to be able to offer some compensation for the loss in profit from a lower offer like flexible closing dates or accepting all closing costs. Another thing that may make a lower offer more attractive would be having a mortgage pre-approval letter to show the seller that your funds are secure. Make sure you present ample benefits the seller will enjoy by accepting your offer.

Get the most out of the list price
Conversely if the seller refuses your offer, you can still benefit by ensuring you're getting all you could out of the cost of the home. You can request that the home be sold with the existing furniture or appliances which will save you those costs after moving in. You could also ask the seller to cover all closing costs, allowing you to use that money in upgrading your home. Get help from your Realtor in finding different ways you can get all you can out of the list price of the home if the seller won't budge on price.

This process may seem like a long journey to acquiring the right home, but in the end it will be worth it. Take your time and plan out your offer strategically. Present it with the right facts and make it work for both your seller and you. In the end, you'll walk away with a profitable investment and the home of your dreams.

5 Places You Should ALWAYS Clean Before An Open House

An open house is the main deciding factor in whether you'll get list price for your property or not. If you cannot convince your buyers that your property is worth what you're asking for there's no way you'll get what you're asking for it.

When buyers go to an open house, they want to see the home in its most pristine form to help them envision their lives in it. The only thing dirt and clutter does is make buyers see the home as dysfunctional and too small to accommodate them.

Avoid making the wrong impression with your property by ensuring these 5 places are always clean before an open house.

1. Garage - The garage is much more to buyers than a safe place to keep their cars. Its a gargantuan of extra storage space they can use for just about anything. So when preparing your home for prospective buyers, ensure that all your tools and equipment are placed neatly on the shelves and keep as much of the ground space free so the buyers can get an idea of the amount of additional space they can get from the garage. Also, make sure all the counter tops and shelves are dusted off and the floors are swept clean.

2. Backyard - Buyers love yard space. What they love even more is having it well landscaped. Ensure the lawn is cut low and all the leaves are raked away. They patio also needs to be cleared of any dirt and the BBQ and lawn furniture needs to be properly cleaned. All these details add to the appeal of your backyard and gives the buyers a great idea of what they can do with it if it were theirs.

3. Indoor Storage - this means all closets, drawers and cupboards. You would be fooling yourself if you thought prospective buyers wouldn't open every door of your home during an open house. They will look! Make sure all these storage areas are kept neat and organized. When buyers see how well-kept these areas are it helps to emphasize how useful these storage spaces will be for them. Along with keeping the storage spaces organized, you need to ensure that there's nothing out in the open that you don't want seen, namely anything that may be offensive to guests.

4. Laundry Room - Aside from the kitchen, the laundry room is one of the most used areas of the home. Its expected to be dirty. But no one wants to use an untidy laundry room, or picture themselves in one anyways. This is a particularly important room for moms who are constantly burdened by laundry duties week in and week out. As the seller, you need to ensure the laundry room is as pristine as possible to spark excitement in the buyers to actually have a functional and attractive laundry area. Make sure there's no dirty clothes in the hampers or dryer sheets on the floor. Put everything in its place and make the room spotless.

5. Appliances - This is a biggy, especially if your selling them with the home. Most people will ensure the outside of their appliances are clean but neglect the insides keeping spoiled foods in the fridge or letting the stove build up gunk inside. This is a HUGE no-no! Buyers don't want to see their future appliances being mistreated by previous owners. They want to know that, although they're buying used appliance, they were handled with the utmost care guaranteeing them additional years of use.

After cleaning your home and getting everything ready for your open house, be sure to go over our list and ensure all these items are clean. Once you have all these areas covered, you're guaranteed to be a hit with home buyers at your next open house.

Get detailed one-on-one advice from a certified Belize real estate agent today!

Great Deal! Two Homes for Sale in Belize on Sittee River

The Sittee River in Southern Belize lines the banks of the Sittee River Village that neighbors Hopkins. Sittee River Village is a shaded community filled with lush vegetation on its banks, and small wooden houses, small grocery stores and friendly residents.

CPC Real Estate is giving you the chance to experience life in this quaint oasis with a package deal of two homes for sale on 5.45 acres of land in southern Sittee River Village. This Belize property for sale is comprised of 4 parcels (lots numbers 3,4,5 and 6) which are ideally located near Hopkins and its developing hotel zone.

The main living quarters are on lots #4 and #5 which consists of 1.78 acres. There is a home on each lot with 350 feet of river frontage. The main home is turnkey and sits on lot #5. It is a 2000 sq. ft. 2 story concrete home with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

The second home is on lot #4. This home is 900 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. It is a 2 story wooden home that is currently being used by the property's caretakers.

This property is home to a host of amenities including a 60 foot boat dock, large two-car garage, two-car carport, and ample space for storage under the main home for additional vehicles and other equipment.

Community amenities include a marina just south of the property, a newly constructed marina in nearby Sittee Point Estates, municipal power, water, internet and cable TV, immediate access to the sea and proximity to Hopkins Village.

Here are some images of the property and homes.

Main Turnkey Home

Second Home used by Caretakers

Garage for Main Home

Living Room of Main Home

Kitchen of Main Home

Enclosed Sun Room of Main Home

To get more information on this property and see more pictures, visit the listing page here.